Sydney Festival presents

In the Eruptive Mode

Writen and directed by Sulayman Al-Bassam

8 - 11 January 2013

World Premiere
Sabab Theatre Kuwait (UK)

Created by celebrated Kuwaiti writer/director Sulayman Al-Bassam, In the Eruptive Mode responds with rawness and immediacy to the promised hope of the Arab Spring and to the seismic shifts changing the face of today’s Middle East.

A series of eight short scenes explore the themes of state violence and individual freedom in the modern Arab world. Accompanied by iconic underground musician Yasmine Hamdan’s live score, this production reveals the survival tactics, hopes and desires of individuals caught up in the convulsions of change.

These keenly observed life affirming monologues embrace the challenges of renewal and for Al-Bassam, invite the possibility of a new dramatic genre: contemporary Arab tragedy.

Photo: Laurie Bost

News & Reviews

“The emphasis of the writing is very much about the individual and the urgency of the will and the desire that causes the sparks of conflict. And once we start to explore the individual, then the contingency of the state becomes less important.” – Sydney Morning Herald, 8 January 2013